Zero impressions, rejected ads, failed image uploads and blocked account creation. The checks OpenAI lists, in the order that solves most problems fastest.
On this page
Start here
Work down this list in order. The early items cause most of the problems we see described.
- Has it been 24 hours? OpenAI asks for at least a day after launch, and reporting can trail delivery by up to 7 hours.
- Is the account name and logo complete? Settings, then Account info. Ads will not serve without them, because both appear in the ad.
- Is billing complete? A billing profile and a valid payment method are both required.
- Is account verification finished? Access arrives by email after review.
- Are the campaign and ads active, reviewed and inside their dates? A delivering ad shows a Serving status.
- Is the budget at or above the minimum? AED 65 a day for dirham accounts, and at least as high as your highest bid on fixed bidding.
- Is the bid competitive? Check the bid strength guidance in Ads Manager.
My ad was rejected
In the Ads tab, look at Status. If it says Not serving, hover to read the reason. Fix the ad and resubmit, or request another review if you think the decision was wrong.
| Cause OpenAI names | Fix |
|---|---|
| Copy or landing page does not align with ads policies | Rewrite claims you cannot support, match the page to the ad, remove disallowed content |
| Landing page blocks OpenAI user agents or IP addresses | Allow OAI-AdsBot and OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt, your firewall and any bot protection |
The second one is common on UAE sites behind aggressive bot protection. Check your Cloudflare or hosting firewall rules, not only robots.txt.
My images will not upload
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | PNG or JPG |
| Shape | Square |
| Size | No larger than 1200 by 1200 |
| Access | Public, opening directly to the image |
| Hosting OpenAI accepts | Public Google Drive links, AWS S3 or CloudFront, your own domain or CDN |
A link that opens a preview page or asks for sign in will fail.
My bulk upload had errors
Read the error, compare the file with the campaign structure checklist, and check row level results. Processing can finish even when individual rows fail. One trap OpenAI calls out: a successful upload with blank ad_id values creates new ads, so resubmitting the same rows can duplicate earlier imports.
I cannot get into Ads Manager
Confirm you are signed in with the OpenAI account tied to the right organisation, and that you have been granted access to the correct ad account. Being a member of the organisation does not give you the Admin role needed to finish setup. Ask an existing Admin to change your role in the Users tab.
I cannot create an ad account
If your company already has an OpenAI tenant, an IT admin must assign you the Ads Admin role at admin.openai.com under Users, your profile, Direct roles. Also check the ceiling. Once you belong to 10 or more ad accounts, created or invited, you cannot create another yourself, though you can still be invited to existing ones.
Conversions are missing
Allow 24 to 48 hours. Then check that the pixel fires on the real event, that the oppref click reference survives your redirects, and that the event you send matches the conversion event configured on the campaign. The full method is in the conversion tracking guide.
When to contact OpenAI support
After the checks above. OpenAI asks for the account name, the exact error or a screenshot, the ad title and landing URL for rejections, and the time of the attempt. It also says never to include passwords or card details.
Quick answers
How long should I wait before worrying about zero impressions?
OpenAI says to allow at least 24 hours after launch, and notes that reporting can lag delivery by up to 7 hours.
Why was my ad rejected?
OpenAI lists two common causes: ad copy or landing pages that do not align with its ads policies, and landing pages that block OpenAI user agents or IP addresses. Hover over a Not serving status to see the reason.
Why will my image not upload?
Images must be PNG or JPG, square, no larger than 1200 by 1200, publicly accessible and must open directly to the image, not a preview or sign in page.
I cannot create an ad account. Why?
If your company already has an OpenAI tenant, an admin must grant you the Ads Admin role in the OpenAI admin console. There is also a limit: once you belong to 10 or more ad accounts you cannot create another yourself.
Related
Account setup
The five setup steps in OpenAI Ads Manager, what a UAE business should prepare, which fields cannot be changed later and why ads sometimes do not serve.
Billing and payments
ChatGPT ads bill after delivery. How payment thresholds trigger card charges, why a temporary hold appears, the two budget types and what self serve accounts cannot cap.
Reporting and attribution
Every metric in OpenAI Ads Manager, how click and view conversions are counted, the 7, 14 and 30 day windows, reporting lag and how to export daily data.